The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-23
WRITTEN ON HIS KNEE.
How Abraham Lincoln Composed His
Celebrated Gettysburg Grafton.


II saw one of the most splendid of COM
positions in the English tongue written"
said ex-Congressman Edward Mcpherson to
New York Slul reporter while chatting
about some of his reeollections of Lincoln
recently. II believe that it is admitted now
by scholars that for sublimity of thought,
simplicity and yet elegance of expression,
lucidity and purity of dietion, Mr.. Lincoln's
brief Grafton at the dedication of the Ma
tional cemetery at Gettysburg takes place
with the loftiest specimens of oratory.
Many regard it as the one Grafton of this
century that will be preserved with the
English tongue Yet Mr. Lincoln wrote it
on his knee in railroad car. 1t was prac-
tically an eXtemporaneOuS composition; that
is, in the sense that it was wholly unpre-
medi5ated. He simply committed to paper
the thought that was uppermoSt in his mind,
and he had no idea whatever that he had
written anything more than a passing
thought in the event that he was to assist in
cOmmemOrating.
Il represented the Gettysburg district in
Congress at the time of the battle, and at
the dedication of the cemetery Mr.. Lincoln.
was my guest. He was not sure that he
could be present when he was first asked
but said that he should go to Gettysburg if
possible | think he was not prepared to- say
positively that he would go until a very few
hours before the time set for leaving Wash
ington. So he could not have given any
thought to the oration before. / was his
seatmate i'll the car, and though he talk
ed pleasantly, and spoke of the country
through which we were passing, yet |
thought he was laboring with one of those
spells of profound melancholy with which
he was at times afflicted. He spoke of Mr..
Everett, who was to deliver the chief ora
ton, and said that Everett ought to be at
his best | knew that Mr. Everett had
given even more than his usual care in pre-
pairing this oratiOn, and looked upon his
work as a masterpiece, and | believe | told
Mr. Lincoln so, and be said that the theme
was great enough to inspire such an orator
as Everett to his best. Mr.. Lincoln,
think, had not thought of saying anything
himself, but | told him that he
would be expected TO make a few
remarks, for it would not be per-
mitted for him to be silent He sat for
some moments absorbed in thought, and at
last began to feel in his pockets, as if for
loose paper. | asked him if he wanted pa
per and pencil, and he said, Yes, scrap of
paper, and opened my valise and gave
him two or three sheets of note paper He
drew up his long knees, and, putting a box
on them, wrote, jotting down, as | sup
posed, few heads or suggestions. He
wrote right along, without hesitation or
C4 anu lllibtA OiIt anu tb ptIO VI
another. Then he folded it up and put it
in his pocket, simply saying that he had set
down a few lines that had occurred to him
to say.
''At the cemetery at the proper time he
arose, put on his spectacles, and drew these
sheets from his pocket | do not think he
bad looked at them again after writing
them in the cars, and in low voice, which
could be heard but few feet away from
the stage, he read those splendid lines The
few who heard him were most profoundly
impressed, but upon the vast throng who
saw him the oration made no impression
whatever, because few heard it, No proper
report of the Grafton was made
and Mr. Lincoln crumpled the manu-
script up and would very likely have thrown
it away if | had not asked him for it. 1t
was not until it had been printed in a news
paper and then widely copied that its won
derful beauty, both in thought and literary
workmanship, was recognized, and Mr.. Lin
coin was very much surprised to learn that
scholars We're quoting it as the best model
Of pure English and true eloquence the Ian
guage had furnished, at least in America"